Electric radiator fire



ELECTRIC RADIATOR FIRE Filed May 29, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 [NveMTok Wax/4 I21- w July 19, 1932. s. 2. DE FERRANTI ELECTRIC RADIATOR FIRE Filed May 29, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 3. 0 4evvm-d;

lNveNTlK U My Patented July 19, 1932 i I U snnasrr m ziaiirm FEBRANTI; or I-IOLLINWOQD, ENGLAND; AssIGNon T0 FEBBAIl -E, IMrrnn'oF HOLLINWOOI), ENGLAND mscraic nra qa r 31;

Application filed May 29, 1928, Serial No. 281 528, and, great lif ita'in June a, lag? This invention relates to electricradiator fires and has for 1ts object to provide 1mproved constructions possesslng efilc1ent radiant heat utilization characteristics.

At present it is customary to heat a room or apartment in a house either by hot pipes which heat the air and so the room or by means of an open fire whlch throws out heat 111 all directions (up to the ceiling as well as on to the floor) apart from the heat lost r heater using as little as 2 kilowatt hours of energy per hour by methods of construction in accordance with the present invention and on account of its concentration is very intense and keeps a number of people thoroughly warm in a fair-sized room. What is not absorbed by the people in the room heats up the floor and walls to a small height which in their turn are in the best position for radiating their heat on to the people in the room.

Referring to the accompanying diagrammatic draw1ngs:

Figure 1 illustrates in side elevation one convenient construction in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a plan view partly broken thereof; 7

Figure 8a illustrates in cross-section a twoelement heating unit.

Figure 3b shows, a three-element heating unit in cross-section.

Figure 550 discloses 1n cross-section another form of heatmg unit of three elements.

In carrying the invention into eflect in one convenient manner as illustrated in Figcircui ures and 21 provide a reflecting sur-tace a of uniform parabolic vertical cross section and having divergent sides I) b, the surface being carried upon a suitable stand 0 raising it some 6 from the ground. The tool in-1e parabolic sectionslie in "a straight line and as near as possible to this straight line I mount the radiating member. Tl'iis'radiatmember comprises two separate units 61 a each ofwhichis formed'of two-lengths of refractory-"high resistance material" of bar section (abc g; 1AN in diameter). In the centre of the length of the reflector I provide a bracket 1 carrying an abutment member 9 of insulating and refractory material. the two ends of the reflector, i. e,, adjacent the divergent sides b,- I provide flexible strips 78 of a metal bearing suitable sockets and servingto hold each of therefractory bars securely against the entral refractory abutment beforementioned. The latter abutmentis 'providedwith-two conductingstuds with suitable socketends with which the refractory bars contact. The sockets are preferably'tipped with silver, silver alloy or are silver plated in order to provide a good electrical contact with the heater bar ends. Likewise thesockets in the flexible strips h are preferably silver plated. These flexible strips it pass through openings j in the sides of the reflector and at their ends remote from the heater are supportedby and externally to the said reflector suriace. Their lengthand radiating etfect is sn'llicie'nt to ensure that the supported ends (to which the electrical connections are made) do not attain an excessive temperature. The two heater bar ends are preferably disposed one behind the other in a horizontal plane and as closely together as possible having regard to necessary electricalclearance, and a doub le ipole switch his provided by means of which one 0]": the elements-may be entirely disconnected at both ends from the C mm e shown) are provided for connection to an electric power supply source, the leads being any housed in a beading m tormedby rollingthe edge of the refiectOn-thus at the same ntly flexible connecting leads (not i time protecting them from mechanical damage, rendering them inconspicuous and stiffening the reflector.

The four flexible strips supporting the bar elements are preferably enclosed by end cov ers n suitably formed and attached externally to the sides of the reflector.

According to this construction heat is radiated-mainly in a beam which is fan shaped in a horizontal plane but which neither diverges nor converges appreciably in a substantiall vertical, plane and thus when the fire is pl aced in a room against one wall a beam of radiant heat is projected mainl in a zone extending a few feet-above the oor but sweeping practically the entire area of the floor. The heat generated is therefore utilized in the most efficient manner owing to this zone concentration. 7

It is necessary in order to be able to heat a definite zone economically that the source of, heat shall lie as nearly as possible in the focus of the reflector. This is a simple matter when a single bar unit is employed. Where two or three bars parallel .to each otherare employedthey should be grouped as closely together as possible consistent with electrical clearance.- p 7 According to a modification instead of emloying two heater units (each in two parts) ormed of bars of circular cross section, bars of other cross section, for example two D- section bars disposed, close together, Figure 3 (a), may be employed. Likewise itis not essential to employ two units, since one,

2. An electric radiator fire as claimed in claim 1 wherein the said resistance heating unit comprises a group of elements, the exterior of the group conforming substantially to a circular contour of small diameter.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

SEBASTIAN ZIANI DE FERRANTI.

three or more may be employed in some cases.

A convenient arrangement when three are employed s to form each of sector shape in crosssection as in Figure 3 (b) so that the whole cross section occupied maybe as compact as possible, thus yielding as far as possible a line source of, radiant heat.

Another convenient construction of triple unit radiator member is to provide three 45 units whichv when erected in position occupy in cross section a circle divided into three parts by two vertical air spaces as in Figure 3 (c).

In all cases 1t is preferred that the unit central bracket f and abutment members 9 of Figure 2 are dispensed with.

or unitsare formed as single bars, i. e. the

Having now described my invention,

what I' claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1..Anelectr1c radiator fire embodyinga reflector comprising a rear surface having a uniform parabolic vertical cross section symmetrical about the axis of the parabola and two flat divergent sides disposed in vertical planes and joined to said rear surface, spring supports projecting with free clear ancethrough slots in said reflector, and a resistance heating bar ofsmall cross-sectional area disposed on the focal line of said rear 

